Automatic electric-lamp hanger and switch



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.,

O. B, WHITE. AUTOMATIC ELBOTRIG LAMP HANGER AND SWITCH. No. 434,088.Patented Aug. 12,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

osoAR B. WHITE, OF CLEVELAND, oi-no.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC-LAMP HANGER AND SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,038, dated August12, 1890.

Application filed February 15, 1890. Serial No. 340,641. (No model.) i

i will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make anduse the same. My lnvention relates to improvements in automaticelectric-lamp hangers and switches;

and it consists in certain features of construction and in combinationof parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective. Fig. 2is a side elevation in section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Figs. 4 and5 are enlarged elevations in section in detail. Fig. 6 is a plan, partlyin sec tion, in detail.

A represents the supporting-cable, that in Fig. 1 is shown connectedwith poles to a, supposed to be located, for instance, on either side ofthe street for suspend-ing the electric lamp over the street, usuallymidway thereof.

B is a block that serves as a carrier and V hanger, the same beingusually of cast metal on the supporting-cable. Block B is chambered,'asshown more clearly in Fig. 2, to accommodate sheaves O G and cord orhalyard c, the axial bolts 0' of these sheaves serving to hold the twomembers of the block together.

D is the lamp-holder, the same having an upwardly-projecting arm D, thisarm having a slot D in which the one end of halyard c is secured and inwhich slot,below the end of the halyard, operates pawl (I, the latterbeing pivoted at d. A spring d is secured in mortise d, the ends of thisspring engaging the pawls for forcing the latter apart. Arm D of thelamp-holder is adapted to enter chamber 13 of block B, the walls of thischamber,

on opposite sides thereof, having shoulders I) b and b b, and inclines12 11*, arranged sub-' stantially as shown, the chamber aboveshoulders bI) being broad enough to allow the pawls to reverse-that is, to turnoutward and upward past the plane of their axes. By the arrangementshown of halyard c in what is known as the triple fall, the lamp andlamp-holder are prevented from swaying and whirling, and arm D is guidedinto chamber B in elevating the lamp. \Vhen the lampholder is detachedfrom block B in raising or lowering the lamp, the normal position of thepawls is bearing against spring (Z and in elevating the lamp, as arm Dpasses up into chamber B the pawls, by engaging the walls of block 13,are snubbed back that is, the pawls are pressed toward each otheragainst the action of the spring, and as soon as the pawls are elevatedabove shoulders I) b the recoil of the spring distends the pawls, sothat as the halyard is slaokened the ends of the pawls rest on shouldersI) b and in such position support the lamp and lamp-holder.

\Vhen it is desired to lower the lamp, the lamp and lamp-holder arefirst raised by means of the halyard until the lower ends of the pawlsare above shoulders Z) l), whereupon the action of the spring, that hasbeen compressed by the engagement of the pawls with inclines D U, throwsthe pawls apart to approximately a horizontal position, after which, bylowering the lamp, the pawls reverse to the position shown in Fig. 5 andallow the lamp to descend, for the reason that below shoulders I) b thechamber is not broad enough to allow the pawls to return to theirdepending position.

WV hen thelamp-holderis entirely disengaged from block 13, the pawlsreturn by gravity to their positions bearing against the spring. Block Bis provided with a cross-bar B usually of wood, the extremes of whichare provided with insulators b for attaching the electric teed-wires EE. The ends of these wires, by means of suitable binding-posts, (shownat E electrically connect, respectively, with springs 6. These springsare usually of brass or other suitable elastic material that is a goodconductor otelectricity. Springs 6 are approximately of the form shownin Fig. 3, and normally bear against each other near the lower endsthereof, so that when the lamp is lowered a closed circuit is had.

The lamp-holder is provided with laterallya asgoss' projecting plates G,the free ends thereof being separated some little distance, as shownmore clearly in Fig. 6, these plates being secured on opposite sides ofthe lamp-holder from which these plates are insulated, and consequentlythe two plates G are insulated from each other. Each plate G is providedwith a binding-post g for attaching the respective wires that lead toand connect with the lamp II. In elevating the lamp the free ends ofplates G pass between and separate springs e, and hence when the lamp isin its elevated position the electric circuit of the feed-wires includesthe lamp. Plates G are usually of brass, and the rubbing-contact ofthese plates with springs c in raising and lowering the lamp keep the engaging-surfaces clean, and hence there is no resistance to the electriccurrent between springs c and plates G. In erecting the device, cable Ahaving been placed in position, the two halves of block B are placedtogether astride of cable A, and in such position are secured by bolts 0with sheaves C O in place.

Block B for convenience is usually placed on cable A, next the pole thatsupports the feed-wires E E, and when the ends of these feed-wires areattached to the lamp-hanger enough slack in these wires is provided toadmit of sliding block 13 along cable A to the position desired for thelamp. Next a wire, cord, or cable I is attached to block B and leadsfrom thence to the pole on the other side of the street, and by meansthereof the hanger is slid along cable A to the position required, thusdrawing the feed-wires taut, whereupon cable I is secured to the pole,whereby the hanger is held in the desired position. Halyard 0 leads fromthe hanger to the pole that supports the feed-wires E E, and hence thedraft of the halyard is sus tained by means of cable I, and does notaffeet in the least the feed-wires. The halyard passes through a sheaveconnected with the pole and leads downward to where it is accessiblefrom the ground. WVhenever it may become necessary to repair block B orattachments thereof, cable I is loosened, and by means of the halyardthe hanger is drawn against the pole that supports the feed-wires,whereitis more convenientlyhandled. lVhile the lamp is in its elevatedposition, being supported, as aforesaid, by the pawls, the halyardremains idle, and the halyard, that is usually fastened some distance upthe pole, where it is out of the way, should it become loosened will notaffect the lampin the least.

lVhat I claim is w 1. The combination, with a lamp-supporting blockhaving an internal ledge therein and a detachable and vertically movablelampholder, of one or more self-acting pawls, combined with thelamp-holder and adapted to engage the ledge in the block and lock thelamp-holder in its raised position and to be automatically disengagedfrom the block by raising the pawl above the ledge into a space largeenough for it to reverse, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with alamp-supporting block and a detachable andvertically-movable lamp-holder, the block havinga chamber and thelamp-holder having an extension adapted to enter such chamber, ofgravitypawls, combined with the lamp-holder and adapted to engage aninternal ledge of the block, and a spring for distending the pawls, thesaid chamber of the block having an e11- largcd section in which thepawls may reverse, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a lamp-supportin g block provided with across-bar, combined with the electric feed-wires, the latter beingelectrically connected by springs extending from the cross-bar andnormally engaging each other, of a detached and vertically-movablelamp-holder provided with projecting members connected electrically withthe respective poles of the lamp, such projecting members being adaptedto engage and separate the spring of the feed-wires in elevating thelamp-holder, and means for detachably locking the lamp-holder to thesupportingblock, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of twowitnesses, thislOth day of January, 1890.

OSCAR l3. WVI'IITE.

Witnesses:

C. H. Donna, WILL B. SAGE.

